


Sickness and Discovery

by QueenCelina33



Series: Drowned in Ink AU [1]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Boris and Tom are good boys, Gen, Linda is best cartoon mom, Sick Character, Takes place after my story "Drowned in Ink"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-05-28 03:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15039467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenCelina33/pseuds/QueenCelina33
Summary: Takes place after my story "Drowned in Ink," in the same AU as the story.Henry finds a sick Bendy and decides to take him home so he, Linda, Alice, and Boris can take care of him. While Bendy is recovering, Allison and Tom get to explore the outside world and learn some new things about their friends and discover what being alive really means. And help take care of Bendy along the way.





	1. Sick Devil Darling

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone. I wanted to start writing some stories based off of my BATIM blog and AU, so here's a small story about a sick Bendy and the toons and Henry and Linda taking care of him. There's also a bit about Allison and Tom meeting Linda and experiencing the outside world.  
> It won't be as long as "Drowned in Ink," but it's in the same verse, which can also be found on my blog, askbendydrewstudios on tumblr.  
> Enjoy!

Henry’s blue eyes scanned over the paper in his hand, his mind taking in every word and processing it. He was reading over Joey’s latest plot for a Bendy cartoon and he was given a copy of the plot script to make sure this episode was doable and not so outrageous or time consuming as they had been before. With Henry back in the studio, things were running much smoother and Joey was slowly returning to his old self, before the Ink Machine, before Henry left, before all of the chaos a few years ago.

It had been almost three years since the “Ink Machine Incident,” as it had come to be known, had happened. And the studio, despite the turmoil that had occurred, was now flourishing under the eyes of both Henry and Joey. With the two men working together and watching over everything, the cartoons were getting put out on time and Bendy and his friends were as popular as ever.

Henry wrote something in the margins of his paper, before reading over the words again. He had to admit, Joey was getting much better with writing these episodes. They were much more feasible and entertaining now.

“He...Henry… *Groan*”

The animator looked up from his paper at the sound of a voice calling his name, before turning his head to look over his shoulder. Moving towards him at a slow amble was a tiny cartoon, only about two feet tall. His pointed horns, white face, white gloves, and tail were easily recognizable. However, his usual large grin had fallen into a deep frown. Ink dripped from his brow as he slowly blinked his pie cut eyes. Bendy held his head with one hand. He groaned again as he looked up at his creator.

Henry fully turned to face Bendy and gasped a bit. “Bendy,” he questioned. “Ben, are you okay?”

“Ugh… no,” the devil darling answered. He shook his head and wiped the sweat from his the side of his face and watched the creator kneel by his side. Holding up a hand, the cartoon spoke in a raspy voice. “I… everythin’ is spinnin’, and I feel so… weak. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Henry watched his movements closely, seeing how Bendy was shaking and his breathing was slightly labored. His tail dragged on the floor. He had a theory what was wrong, but he had to be sure. Putting a hand on Bendy’s forehead, Henry left it there for a moment.The man pulled his hand back. “Oh, Bendy,” he brooded “I think you have a fever.”

Bendy managed to look at his father with a small whimper. “A fever,” he asked. “I… wha?” That was when he noticed how dizzy he was getting. And why was the studio getting so dark. Breathing became just a little harder to do as he grabbed onto Henry’s arm. “Henry… wh--why is everthin’ gettin’ dark?”

That was the last thing the dancing demon said before he closed his eyes and began to fall to the floor. Henry, seeing this, reacted quickly and caught the tiny demon in his arms. The animator stood with his creation, looking over him with great concern. “Oh, Bendy,” he mused.

He wasn’t sure how illnesses worked with cartoons, he didn’t even know if cartoons could get sick under normal circumstances. He had an idea as to why Bendy had gotten sick, but he’d think on that later. For now, Henry knew Bendy needed rest and someone to take care of him.

*****

Joey scribbled something into the margins of his paper, frustrated at how these numbers weren’t adding up. He wanted to handle the finances himself today, but looks like he might have to call for Grant’s help again. Something here just wasn’t adding up.

“Hey, Joey?”

The studio head looked to the doorway to his office at hearing his name. His one green eye and one orange eye moved to Henry in the entrance, a pink blanket wrapped around something in his arms. Joey raised a brow at seeing Henry’s worried face and the bundle, but that expression turned to alarm when the bundle moved and he saw the face of the tiny ink demon he called his creation. Joey slightly gasped and put a hand to his chest. “Bendy?”

Henry could see that Joey was demanding an explanation without saying a word, so he responded with, “He’s… running a fever. And he passed out earlier. I’m gonna take him home so Linda and I can take care of him.”

Joey held up a hand and his mouth opened as if to protest. Joey was the one who brought the cartoons into the real world, so in a way, he was their mother. Ever since he was freed, Joey had acted much like a mother would, worrying about his “children” and doing whatever they needed him to do so they were happy and healthy. The studio head would let Alice and Boris go home with Henry, but would take Bendy home with him whenever the demon wanted to leave the studio. Bendy was basically Joey’s first child and he loved him dearly. So seeing him sick and Henry asking him to take him home? It terrified him

But Joey let his hand fall, his frown turning to a smile. He knew his best friend loved the cartoons too. He knew that he and his wife would care well for Bendy.

A small sigh. “Okay. Take care of him, please. And have a safe drive home.”

*****

Henry walked up a small set of steps before stepping over another ink pipe. He kept his eyes ahead, knowing that the exit was close. He had said a few more things before leaving Joey’s office, asking him how he was doing and if he needed any help before he left. However, the man insisted he head home with the devil darling and take care of him. And to say hi to Linda for him.

Henry finally reached the hallway that led to the exit, and he was about to step through…

“Dad?”

A voice called for him and Henry looked over his shoulder. There stood four cartoons. Two wolves, a small angel, and a larger angel. The smaller angel with simply dressed and the taller wore more complicated clothes and a belt. The wolves looked identical, minus that the taller of the two had a mechanical arm and belt across his chest.

Boris cocked his head to the side before asking, “Where ya goin’?”

Oh, so that’s what Henry had forgotten: to tell Boris and Alice that they were going home. Henry turned to face the toons. “Well, Bendy is sick, so I’m taking him home so Linda and I can take care of him.”

Alice clasped her hands together. “Oh! Oh, dear. Well, I guess that means Boris and I should head home than.” She looked up to Allison Angel and Tom. She smiled up at them with her award-winning smile, before walking to Henry’s side. Boris patted Tom’s shoulder and did the same.

Allison Angel smiled and waved to the cartoons who were now with their father. “Oh. Well, have a safe trip home, guys.” Tom nodded, being a wolf of few words.

Henry smiled and chuckled. “Thanks, Allison. Have a good night. You too, Tom.” Just as he was about to ask Boris to open the door, Henry’s mind sparked with an idea. Allison and Tom had never been outside the studio, seen the outside world. Joey Drew Studios was all they knew. Maybe it was about time they changed that. The animator looked to the platonic couple. “Actually… Allison, Tom?”

Said angel put her hands on her hips and her platonic husband put his hand on her back.

“How would you like to come home with us?”


	2. Dinner with Cartoons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone. I wanted to get a second chapter of this put out, so here we are! This one's a bit more dialogue, but I like how it turned out. Enjoy!

Linda pulled her spoon out of the pot as she finished stirring the soup she was making. She had patiently been awaiting Henry’s arrival home with the cartoons and had decided to start dinner while she waited, since she usually cooked when they got home. The woman brushed a bit of her red hair out of her green eyes, looking to the door when a small creak caught her ears. It sounded like the front door opening. 

_ “Oh, is Henry home already,”  _ Linda thought. That was unusual. Normally, Henry and the cartoons didn’t get home for another couple of hours. But maybe Henry had to leave work early for some reason? Linda put her spoon on the counter and walked to the entrance to the kitchen, her high heels clicking softly. She looked towards to doorway and saw Henry, Alice, and Boris standing there, Henry talking to his creations. Linda smiled and waved. “Hey, guys! How was work?”

Henry, seeing his wife, smiled widely.”Hey, Linda! Work was pretty good!” He looked over Linda. She had tanned skin, green eyes and short red hair. She wore a white shirt, a black skirt, and white high heels. She walked over to her husband and placed a kiss on his cheek. Henry could hear Alice and Boris giggle a little at the display of affection, but kissed his wife on the cheek as well. When she moved away, the animator looked at her and gestured an arm to two figures outside. “Linda, we have some guests.”

Linda raised a brow, before looking outside and seeing two tall cartoons standing outside the door. One looked much like Susie had when she was in her demented form of “Alice,” but had a belt and rope on her torso, a small bag on her side, and hair in a ponytail. She also wore boots and had broken horns. The other cartoon looked like Boris, save for a mechanical arm and a belt across his chest. 

Henry moved beside his wife and introduced the toons. “Meet Allison Angel and Tom.”

Linda grinned at realizing who the two inky figures were. Of course she knew who these two were! Henry had told her all about them when he had returned from the studio. He told her of how they saved his and Bendy’s lives and helped in the fight against Joey when he was still corrupted by dark magic. Linda graciously spoke. “Oh! Hello! I’m Henry’s wife! He’s told me a lot about you two!” 

Which brought her to another question. “By the way, why are you guys home early?”

Henry realized that Linda didn’t see Bendy in Boris’ arms. “Well, Bendy got sick. I brought him home with us so we can take care of him.”

Boris nodded, showing his creator’s wife the pink blanket with the little devil darling wrapped up in it. “Yeah, he’s got a fever.” 

Bendy, though in a feverish sleep, had ink dripping off his brows and inky tears fell from his tightly glued eyes. He mumbled something before burying his face in Boris’ chest. 

Linda noticed the tiny demon and her face fell to worry. “Oh, dear,” she cooed. “Let’s get him to the spare room.”

*****

Bendy groaned again in his sleep, turning to lie on his back as ink continued to fall down his face. He was in the bedroom of the spare room in the Henry and Linda household, surrounded by fluffy pillows and soft bed sheets. As soon as they had gotten Bendy inside, Linda had moved everyone to the spare room and had had Boris lay the devil darling in the bed. She then asked Boris and Alice to fetch some ice packs while Tom and Allison could explore the house if they wanted. Henry had changed into more comfortable clothes and stood by Linda as she sat on the edge of the bed.

They both knew what they were thinking. Bendy shouldn’t be able to get sick, but here he was. They had a small idea as to why, but they could discuss it over dinner. 

Tiny footsteps followed by larger steps came from the hallway and in stepped Alice and Boris. Boris had some of the small packs in his arms. “Hey, Dad,” Boris said in a soft voice. 

“How’s Bendy,” Alice asked, putting her hands together in front of her chest.

Henry turned to face the cartoons and shook his head. “Not too good. He’s still got a bad fever. Did you bring those ice packs?”

“Yeah.” Boris handed a pack to his father and Henry moved back to the head of the bed, pressing the cold pack against Bendy’s forehead. The demon flinched and made some small whimpers. His face was written with pain and sadness.

Alice watched her friend as he cried in pain, unaccustomed to the coldness. She put her hands together again and asked, “Henry, Linda, will Ben be okay?”

Henry took another pack from Boris as the first one lost some of its chill. He pressed the cold one against Bendy’s forehead again. A sigh escaped the animator’s lips. “...To be honest, Alice? I’m not sure. I don’t know how illnesses affect cartoons, and I… I just don’t know.”

*****

The sounds of spoons clinking against bowls filled the kitchen of Henry and Linda’s house as they and the cartoons ate their food. After some time of being in the bedroom with Bendy, the group had decided it would be best to let him get some sleep and hope that it would help the fever go down. They had found Tom and Allison and invited them to the kitchen for dinner, which they accepted with some reluctance.

Allison and Tom didn’t quite understand why Linda gave them bowls with some light yellow substance, nor did they understand why they were all sitting down at a big table. But they decided to follow along and not be rude to their hosts. 

Linda and Henry listened as Alice hummed in delight, having finished her soup first. “Thanks for the soup, Linda!” she voiced. “It was really good!” 

The animator’s wife smiled. “No problem, Alice! Glad you liked it!” Henry looked to his wife and she looked at him, both of them grinning at the thanks from their “daughter.” After a few minutes of eating, Linda looked at the more rugged of the group. Allison was playing with a fork she had been given while Tom was eating his soup slowly, as if taking caution with each bite. 

Henry saw Linda lean her elbows on the table and gaze at the taller angel. “So, Allison,” she spoke up. “Henry told me a lot about you. But, I’d like to hear a bit about you from you.”

The words caught the attention of the cartoon and she looked up from the fork. She blinked her big yellow eyes. She was unsure what to tell Linda about her time with Henry in the studio during the Ink Machine Incident. She was sure Henry had told her almost everything, but when she looked to the animator, he just nodded and gestured for her to go ahead.

Allison put her arms on the table, one on top of the other. “Well,” came her beautiful voice. “Tom and I used to be ink monsters, before we decided to change that and put ourselves through the Ink Machine. It was… a strange experience, but it definitely helped us gain more freedom and strength to help around the studio. We helped a lot of the Lost Ones… er, employees of the studio, and we tried our best to hunt down those who ruled the darkness, so we would be freed.

“We tried going after Bendy first, but they proved futile. So we tried going after Susie when she was ‘Alice.’ Needless to say, we tried, but could never get to her.” As she continued, Allison seemed to become more passionate about what she spoke of, making wide gestures with her arms and facial expressions quite exaggerated. 

“We did our best to help everyone and try to stop Joey, but when Henry came around and we found out his motives, we knew we had to help him and the others. We actually saved their lives from Susie, and then saved Susie when she returned to normal.” She closed her eyes when she moved onto the next part, sighing a bit. “Then, we went after Bendy. Henry went in by himself, and the next time we saw him, he was being carried in the monster’s arms, and I had to save his life. That’s why he has those big black scars in his back and chest. I had to use my ink powers to save his life. I also used them to help save Bendy and turn him back to normal.” 

Linda had listened with great intent, taking in every word and picturing everything in her mind. She turned to Tom once Allison was done speaking. “And what about you, Tom?”

Allison put a hand on Tom’s mechanical one as he opened his mouth. “Oh, Tom doesn’t say much, Mrs. Linda.”

Tom held out an arm in front of her, speaking for the first time since he left the studio. His voice was low and gravelly, like that of the repair man, Thomas Connor. “It’s alright, honey. Let me talk a bit.” Allison blinked in surprise, but nodded, settling back into her chair. Tom cleared his throat and put his hands together on the table. “I’m not a wolf of many words, Mrs. Linda. But I talk when I need to. I talked plenty to Henry in his time during the Ink Machine Incident. I asked him a lot about his motives and why he was in the studio, until I knew I could trust him. I was hesitant about Allison helping him, but I saw he was tryin’ to save us all, and I helped him out.” He pointed to Henry. “Your husband is a good man, Mrs. Linda, never take him for granted.” 

Henry felt his wife hug him and nod. He finished his soup and said, “Thanks for the soup, Linda.” He stood and pushed his chair in. “You guys can sleep in the living room, if you’d like, or maybe Boris and Alice can let you sleep in their room. I’m heading to the bedroom.” With that, he and Linda bid the toons good night and left for their room.

As soon as Linda and Henry left, Allison turned to her husband. “Tom… I don’t understand. Why are they letting us sleep in their house? Shouldn’t they be shooing us back to the studio?”

Tom shook his head. “Allison, they’re letting us stay here ‘cause we’re guests. They probably want some help taking care of Bendy, and… haven’t you ever wanted a taste of life outside the studio? A taste of a life we’ve never known?”

Allison still seemed a little confused, but she did her best to understand what Tom was saying. “Well… yeah. It would be nice to see what life is like out here.”

“Than let’s stay for a while. At least until Bendy is better. Who knows? We might like it out here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, seems Tom and Allison are gonna get some time in the outside world! But will they like it? Find out soon!


	3. Breakfast and Healing Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, guys. Inspiration has been hitting me like crazy these past few days, so I wanted to write another chapter of this story. Hope you enjoy!

The next morning, all the cartoons awoke to Linda making them all breakfast and Henry getting ready for work. They all sat down at the table and the woman placed plates with eggs and toast down in front of them. Alice and Boris started digging in right away, but Allison seemed slightly confused about what was in front of her and played with her food for a bit before Tom convinced her to try it.

Henry, fully dressed with his crisp white shirt, black bowtie, tan pants and black dress shoes, entered the kitchen. He smiled at seeing everyone. “Mornin’, guys.”

“Mornin’, Dad!” Boris exclaimed, waving and giving a big grin. Alice waved and Linda walked to her husband, kissing him on the cheek. 

Henry noticed how Allison seemed to be deep in thought, her eyes not really focused on anything. He sat down in the same seat as last night and tilted his head to one side. “Allison, you okay?”

The angel looked up when her name was spoken. “Oh, yeah, sorry, Henry. I’m just thinking about a lot of stuff right now.”

“Like what?”

Allison put down her fork after taking a small bite and looked to Henry. “Well… I’m thinking about how… this is my first time outside the studio. I never thought I would leave that place, so I’m still taking everything in. Tom has been assuring me that I’m okay, but this is still a lot to handle.”

The animator nodded as he listened to her, understanding her concerns. He remembered how Boris and Alice were the same way when he brought them home. It had taken some time for them to become accustomed to society and the outside world, but in time, they learned and were fitting well into the real world. Putting a hand on the one Allison had on the table, Henry spoke in a fatherly voice. 

“Allison, I know it’s all confusing and it seems like a lot to take in, but trust me when I say this: You have much more freedom out here to do what you want here and don’t have to worry about monsters or anything like that. Realize that you’re free now. You can do what you want here and you’re safe here.”

Allison lightly gaped at Henry, her eyes seeming to sparkle with some sort of revelation. She nodded in understanding and went back to eating, a small smile now on her features. Tom gave a small thumbs up to Henry, as if thanking him for helping his platonic wife. 

The odd family sat in silence for a while as they ate, before Boris finished his plate and put it in the sink and asked, “Hey, Mom, have you checked on Bendy today?”

Linda sat up. “Oh, no, I haven’t. I almost forgot about Bendy. I’ll go do that now.” She excused herself from the table and headed out of the kitchen, making her way towards the bedroom. 

Henry, having finished his breakfast, adjusted his tie and stood. “Well, I’ve got to get to the studio. You guys take good care of Bendy and help Linda if she needs it, okay?”

Alice and Boris nodded. “Alright, Dad. Have a good day at work!” Boris said in a cheery voice. 

The animator breamed back at him before turning to Tom and Allison. “Boris and Alice can show you guys around the neighborhood and can help you guys out with anything you need. Just follow their lead and make sure not to get in trouble, okay?” 

“Alright, Henry,” answered Allison. “Have a good day, and say hello to everyone for us.”

“I’ll be sure to do that. Bye, guys!” And with that, the man left to kitchen and went out the door. Everyone could hear his car starting up and soon, the rumble it made faded into quiet as he left the house.

Allison looked to her smaller counterpart. “Well, should we go check on Bendy?”

Alice nodded. “I think that would be a good idea.”

*****

Linda frowned as she placed a hand to Bendy’s forehead, causing the little devil darling to groan in his sleep. His skin still felt very hot and he hadn’t woken up as far as she had seen. A few traces of inky tears remained on his face. The woman sighed. The poor thing must be burning up from the inside out. She couldn’t imagine the hell he was going through right now.

“Mom?”

Linda turned to see the cartoons standing in the doorway, all of them showing concern for their little friend. Alice stepped forward and walked to the bed. She could see the distress Bendy was still in. “How’s he doing,” she questioned softly.

“He’s still got a heck of a fever,” came the answer as Linda placed a washcloth soaked in cold water on the demon’s forehead. “I don’t think it’s gone down at all, but we just need to watch him and try anything we can to cool him down.” She put her hands on her lap and faced her “children.” “Boris, Alice, can you get me a bowl of cold water, please?” A couple of nods and the two were off.

Allison and Tom watched the other toons, before they stepped into the room and looked down to the tiny demon. He turned his head to one side, whimpering. The couple noticed how he seemed to have a hard time breathing. The angel looked at Linda. “What’s happening to him, Mrs. Linda?”

Linda blinked. Had Henry not explained sickness to the tall cartoons before they arrived here? “Well… he’s sick.”

“What’s… ‘sick?’”

“Oh, dear, you really have been in that studio for too long, haven’t you?” She shifted to get more comfortable. “You see, Allison, there are these tiny things called germs, things that you can’t see without special tools. When they get into human bodies, they make us feel bad and do bad things to us. They can make our nose run, make us sweat or throw up, or do other things that aren’t normal. In Bendy’s case, the germs are making his body heat up and feel terrible. That’s why we’re trying to cool him down and make sure he’s comfortable.”

Allison looked at Tom, whose ears twitched from curiosity. She looked back to Bendy. “So how come Bendy got sick?”

“Well, Henry told me his idea of why this happened. Didn’t Joey temporarily turn all you cartoons into humans a few days ago?”

Tom nodded, his gruff voice saying, “Yeah. Joey did it so we could see what being human was like for a little bit.”

“Henry thinks that Bendy got sick while he was human, but it didn’t start affecting him until now. Sickness can take a few days to affect the body.”

Allison nodded. “Makes sense to me.” She moved to the head of the bed, her yellow gaze on Bendy as he turned his head again. She placed an inky finger on the cloth on his head. As if she was trying to read his mind, she looked at him intently and kept her hand there, her eyes glowing a bit. Linda was about to ask what she was doing, but Tom stopped her and put a hand on her shoulder. After a few minutes, Allison removed her hand. “He’s fairly comfortable in this bed, but he’s still pretty out of it. He’s not thinking about much right now, just trying to wake up, but his body won’t let him.” She leaned down and gently kissed his cheek.

The kiss seemed to work some kind of magic, because Bendy’s deep frown lightened and turned into a more passive face. Linda watched as Allison stood back up, before walking out of the room. She turned to Tom. “What was all that?”

Tom’s pie cut eyes moved to her and he raised a hand. “Allison has some pretty amazing powers, Mrs. Linda. She has mind reading powers and some kind of powers to help soothe pain by giving a kiss. I don’t know where she got her powers from, but she’s used them plenty of times for me. Biggest time she used her powers was when she was helping me with my arm. When I came out of the Ink Machine, I was missing part of my left arm. She helped me make this mechanical piece, but it hurt a lot to get it on. Her kisses helped some of that pain.”

Linda’s eyes were wide in amazement. Allison could seriously do all that? What kind of magic was she gifted with? Then again, she was an angel. Perhaps she was given some sort of angelic powers when she was created. Linda shook off her curiosity and held Tom’s hand in hers. “Well, thank her for me. Seems it helped Bendy.” She stood from the bed as Boris and Alice returned with a bowl of water. For a short time, everyone took care of Bendy, before they decided to let the little devil darling rest. He was now smiling softly and everyone knew he was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, seems like Bendy is gonna be okay! Now, it's time for Allison and Tom to explore! Feel free to leave kudos and a comment if you're enjoying this story!


	4. Tag, You're It!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Sorry for not updating this story for a while, I would write some of the chapter, but wasn't happy with it until now. This chapter was actually really fun to write!   
> Enjoy!

Allison stepped out onto the steps of the Henry and Linda household, her hair lightly swaying in the wind. Her yellow eyes seemed to be glowing again as she looked around, taking in everything she saw. Green grass that was mowed a few days ago was at her feet and flowers were scattered across the lawn. A few flower beds lined the front walls and the sun shone brightly on the angel. 

Tom stepped out next to her, placing his mechanical hand on her shoulder. “What’cha looking at, Honey?”

Allison, still in awe, quietly answered, “Everything. I just… I didn’t know this world could be so colorful.”

The wolf chuckled. “The world is a big place, Allison. The studio is just a tiny part of it, and there’s a lot out here. I wish we could see all of it together.”

“Hey, Allison! Tom!”

The couple turned to their left to see Alice and Boris standing near the fence, waving to them and gesturing for them to follow. They moved towards the side of the house, opening a small gate in the fence to allow them into the backyard. The yard seemed to be more beautiful than the front, with a tall tree standing proud at the center. There were more flower beds lining the fence and a shed and playset rested in the corners. The yard was actually pretty big, and Tom and Allison gazed with surprise. 

Alice walked up to the two with hands clasped and excitement on her face. “We’re gonna have some of our friends over today! We want you to meet them and play a game or two with them!”

Allison looked at her with a raised brow. “What kind of friends?”

A knock came from the fence, making the taller toons jump and draw their weapons. Boris put hands on their shoulder as Alice went to answer. As soon as she opened the gate, two small children ran in with shouts, a boy and a girl. The girl squealed, “Hey, Alice!”

“Hey, Marcy!” She took the girl into her arms and hugged her tightly.

The boy, ran up to Boris and hugged his legs. “Heya, Boris!”

The shorter wolf chuckled and picked him up, doing the same as Alice. “How are ya, Derek?”

Tom put his pipe into his overall pocket as Allison put her sword away. They didn’t know who these small children were, but they seemed ecstatic to see their friends. The boy had brown hair and dark blue eyes, wearing a white t-shirt, shorts and dirty sneakers. The girl had black hair in braids, wearing a pink shirt and a white skirt with white tennis shoes. 

Derek and Marcy noticed the tall wolf and angel and Marcy his behind Alice, peeking out. Derek just tilted his head in curiosity. “Boris, Alice, who are they?”

“These are our friends,” Boris answered. “This is Tom, and this is Allison Angel. They live in the studio and helped dad during the bad stuff with the Ink Machine.” 

Allison kept her hands closed to her, reluctant despite knowing that these were children. She was surprised when Tom held out a hand for them to shake. “Nice to meet you. Tom the Wolf, at your service.”

Nobody moved for a few seconds, before Derek shook the hand. Marcy saw this and came out from behind the shorter angel and walking to Allison. “...Hi, I’m Marcy,” she greeted softly.

The toon stayed silent for a good moment, before waving and smiling. “I’m Allison Angel. Nice to meet you.”

Marcy seemed to slowly come out of her shell, because her voice got a little louder as she asked, “You live in the studio?”

A nod. “Yes, I do. But I’m staying with Mr. Henry for a while. He’s a very nice man.” She crouched down to Marcy’s height.

The child smiled gently. “So… are you and Tom married?”

Allison tensed. She loved Tom, she truly did, and they had been in a relationship since their time out of the Ink Machine. But they never officially got married. She waved her hand in a so-so manner. “Sort of. I like Tom a lot, but… we never had a wedding. So I guess you could say we’re… kinda married.”

Marcy nodded. “Oh, I see. Maybe Mrs. Linda and Mr. Henry can help you get married.”

Allison was about to say something, but was interrupted by more knocking and talking. Slowly, more children arrived until there was about seven of them, all meeting Tom and Allison and all seeming to be good friends of Boris and Alice.

“Alice, Boris,” Allison leaned over and questioned the toons. “How do you know all these kids?”

Boris looked at her with his pie cut eyes blinking softly. “All of their parents are friends of Mom and Dad. We met ‘em all at a big party Dad and Mom threw for Dad’s birthday. They were scared of us at first, but when they got to know us, they really had fun playing with us. We invite them over every once in a while to play!”

Alice stepped forward, putting her hands together. “Alright, guys! Who wants to play tag!?” 

Squeals of delight and shouts of excitement erupted in Allison’s ears and she slightly jumped. Tom winced a bit. Allison patted his shoulder, before asking, “What’s tag?”

A redheaded girl, Josie, raised a hand. “Oh, oh! It’s a game! One person is called the ‘it!’ They have to try and touch someone else and make them ‘it,’ and everyone else has to run around so they don’t get touched!” 

“Nice explanation, Josie!” She nodded and looked to her taller counterpart. “The only rule we have is that you have to tag someone different than who tagged you, no tag backs.”

Allison’s eyes were wide, but Tom smiled. “Sounds like fun! Let’s get started! How do we pick who’s ‘it?’”

Boris smiled slyly and leaned towards the taller wolf. “Well…” he suddenly bopped Tom’s shoulder and shouted, “Tag! You’re it!” 

Everyone but Allison suddenly took off in different directions, shouting in happiness and watching Tom. The wolf stood there, flabbergasted, before he grinned and took off after a blonde boy named Tyler. Tyler smiled and took off again, speeding ahead of the tall cartoon. He shouted and the wolf did the same. Everyone scattered and ran around as Allison stood in her place, watching them. Tom would chase a child for a while, before he took after another who ran by him until he tagged a back haired boy, Tommy. He giggled and took off. 

Tommy sprinted towards Alice and she squawked in surprise. Alice ran as fast as she could until her shoulder was touched, then she took off after a blonde girl, Lacy. Lacy was tagged soon enough and took off after Boris, who ran past the last child, a blonde boy named Markus. Markus and Boris ran side by side until the wolf was tagged and pretended to fall in a dramatic way. 

“No! I’ve been defeated!” he playfully shouted. He then got back up and walked over to Allison. “You okay, Allison?”

She put her hands together and looked down with a frown. “Yeah… just… You know I was trapped in that studio for so long. It was the only home I had ever known, and all this? It’s a lot to take in.”

Boris nodded. “I can understand that, Allison. I was the same way when Dad brought us home. But y’know what? There’s a big world out here to see! You don’t have to restrict yourself to the studio anymore! You’re free here! So just relax a bit. You’ll see that things out here ain’t bad.”

Allison thought about it, before nodding and smiling. “Thanks, Boris.”

Boris put his hand on her shoulder, smiling like he had just made a clever joke. “By the way… you’re it!” He then took off again, cackling happily. 

Allison turned to him in surprise, before getting a more determined look on her face. She looked around, her eyes locking onto Tom before running towards him. She jumped with an arms out, but he stepped aside and she rolled and moved to one knee.

“Gonna have to try harder than that, Sweetie!” he shouted before running again. 

Allison smiled and got to her feet, chasing him as they all ran and cried out in delight. 

*****

Allison looked down at the plate given to her, a few cookies on it. She thanked Linda, before walking and sitting down next to Alice. After a while of tag, Linda had called them all inside for cookies and milk. Everyone was very excited, as the animator’s wife was renowned for her baking skills. Everyone took a plate with a few cookies and a glass of milk, save for the toons getting glasses of ink. 

As they all sat and ate, Josie looked up and asked, “Hey, Boris. Where’s Bendy? Is he at Joey’s today?”

Boris’ ears fell as he shook his head. “He’s actually in the spare room. He got sick and he’s been asleep for a couple of days now.”

The other kids looked in surprise and all spoke. 

“Oh, no!”

“Is he gonna be okay?”

“What is he sick with?”

“How did he get sick,” asked Marcy. “Can’t cartoons not get sick?”

“Well,” Alice began to explain. “A few days ago, Joey turned us cartoons into humans for a bit with his magic, so we could see what being human was like. Henry thinks that when Bendy was human, he got sick, and now its affecting him.”

All of the kids nodded in understanding. A small cry suddenly caught their attention and they all looked up at the ceiling, where the spare room was. Linda furrowed her brows. “Oh, dear. I’ll go check on Bendy.” She hurried up the stairs, the kids and toons going back to their food. 

Once everyone was done, Tommy looked up and asked, “Is Bendy gonna be okay, guys?”

The cartoons pursed their lips and frowned. Allison finally spoke up. “To be honest, we don’t know. He’s never been sick before, so we don’t know if he can get better. We just have to hope for the best.”

Josie suddenly shouted, “I’ll make a card for him when I get home!”

“Me too!” added Marcy.

“Yeah, I’ll make him something, too!” 

Everyone chattered and shouted how they would make something for Bendy until Linda came back down the steps. Alice asked what happened and she answered with, “He isn’t awake yet, so I think he was having a nightmare. I hope it wasn’t too bad.” 

Everyone talked for a bit more, before saying their goodbyes and heading home. When all the kids were gone, the cartoons looked at each other. Alice smiled. “That’s so nice of the kids to want to make things for Ben.”

A nod from Tom. “Yeah. I just hope he pulls through.”

Boris put a hand on his mechanical shoulder. “Don’t worry, guys. I have a feelin’ Bendy will be all better real soon. He’s a tough little guy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Allison and Tom had a pretty fun day! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to leave comments and Kudos!


	5. Days of Joy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Welcome to the last chapter of this little story! I had so much fun with the last half of this chapter and thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy!

_He was drowning, the ink was pulling down on him and choking him. He couldn’t breathe. All he could see was a faint light coming through the black._

_The scene before him suddenly changed to a man with slicked back black hair and bright green eyes looking up at him. The man yelled and cursed at him. He now knew what was happening. The man was brainwashing him into thinking his creator was the traitor._

_The scene changed again, this time, his creator was against a wall, his own white gloved claws sticking into his chest. The man before him coughed violently, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He remembered yelling at this man before he explained himself. He knew that the man was dying and he was now desperately trying to save him. This time though, there was no saving him. He dropped the man to the ground, his body still and limp._

_He screamed. He couldn’t save Henry._

Bendy sat up with a loud cry, droplets of ink rolling down the sides of his face. He panted heavily, putting a hand on his little chest. He looked around when he realized he wasn’t in the studio. Panic gripped him for a moment, before he recognized the room. He was in Henry and Linda’s spare room.

Bendy sighed and put his face in his hands. That same nightmare. The same nightmare that had plagued him since his release from being a monster. Despite the fact that he knew it wasn’t reality, it always felt so like life to him, and Bendy hated it. He couldn’t bear the thought of Henry dying by own hands like that. It had nearly happened all those years ago in the studio, but he still dreamt about him killing his father.

Bendy shook his head. He couldn’t think about that now, he had to see where his siblings and parents were, and why he was here. Bendy reached for his now sore throat, realizing his bow tie was missing. He looked to his left and saw his tie on the nightstand.

Bendy put his tie on and moved so his legs hung over the side of the bed. He plopped to the ground, wobbling knees nearly making him fall. He still felt weak and like he was heating up, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been in the studio. He leaned against the bed as he waited for the weakness to go away. But it never did. The devil darling grumbled under his breath. Guess he was just gonna have to walk in this weakened state.

The door creaked open as Bendy made his way out of the room, slowly making his way to the stairs. He could hear chatter coming from below and he carefully took one step down. Then the next, then the next, then--

**_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!_ **

Bendy groaned in pain as he leaned against the bottom step, having tripped over his own feet and fallen down the steps. He held his now aching temples with one hand.

Footsteps came from the room next to him and he could hear small gasps. “Bendy!” came a familiar, feminine voice. “Ben, are you okay?!”

The dancing demon looked up when two cold hands were placed on his cheeks, the touch feeling good against his heated skin. He blinked before seeing that Alice was in front of him with her hands on his face. He made a few strangled noises, before speaking. “Al--Ali--Alice?”

Alice frowned and looked at the demon’s flushed face. “Oh, Ben. What happened?”

“I… I don’t know. I think I… fell do--down the stairs.”

Allison and Tom, who had come from the kitchen to see the commotion, kneeled down to look over their friend. Allison touched his back and he winced. Seeing that it hurt him, she kissed his cheek. “That will help with the pain,” she answered to his sudden tilt of the head.

Henry scooped the demon up into his arms, moving up the stairs and taking him back to the spare room, all the others following him. When Bendy was settled back into bed, he looked over each of his family members and friends one by one. “Guys… what’s goin’ on,” he asked in a soft voice.

Boris sat on the end of his bed and answered. “You’re in Henry and Linda’s house, Ben. You got sick and passed out in the studio, and we brought ya home to take care of ya. You were running a fever and have been asleep for the past three days.”

Three days? He was out that long? No wonder he had kept seeing that same nightmare so much. “Did… did I scream in my sleep, at all?”

Alice nodded. “A few times, actually. You would cry out, but never wake up. We’ve been so worried, afraid you wouldn’t wake up.”

Bendy frowned and looked to the side. He didn’t mean to worry his family like that, but he still didn’t know how he had gotten sick. He didn’t want to think on it, he just wanted to feel better. He didn’t like the weakness or dizziness that came with illness.

Linda stepped by his side and put a hand to his forehead. “Oh, good, the fever’s gone down a lot. You don’t feel like you’re burning up anymore, just a little warm.”

Bendy smiled at her words, before yawning softly. He grinned, the little gap in his teeth very noticable. “So, you guys have been takin’ care of me while I was out?”

Henry nodded. “And letting Allison and Tom explore the outside world. They’ve learned a lot over the past few days, and I think they’ll be coming out of the studio more often.”

Tom nodded in agreement. “We’ve also been thinking… we want to get married. Have a real wedding, you know? And… well, we had a question to ask you, Bendy.”

Bendy raised a brow. “And that would be…”

Allison took one of Tom’s hands in hers. “Would you like to be our ring bearer?”

The demon’s eyes seemed to light up and opened wide from their half lidded state. He sat up with a big grin. “Are you kiddin’?! I’d love to be the ring bearer!”

Everyone chuckled at his reaction and Henry gently pushed him back down onto the bed. “Alright, but first, you need to get better. Go ahead and go back to sleep, it’s getting late.”

Bendy nodded and smiled again, his signature smile back on his face. He then closed his eyes as everyone left the room, his tired body lulling him back to sleep.

*****

The next week consisted of everyone coming to check on the little devil darling, who was getting more lively and like his normal self by the day. He would walk a little more and eat more solid foods, and he wasn’t nearly as exhausted as he was when he got sick in the studio. Bendy was smiling more and doing more, and a week later, Linda and Henry declared that he was ready to go out and get back to his normal life again.

It was one night after bringing Allison and Tom home that Bendy walked into the living room, seeing them writing and drawing on some papers. The tiny demon walked up to them and asked, “What’cha doing, guys?”

Allison looked up with her yellow eyes moving to him. “Oh, hello, Ben. Me and Tom are just working out the details of our wedding. We need to plan everything and make sure everything is taken care of. We’ve got most of it planned out, but we need… what was it that Henry said? An ordained minister? We also need to find a dress and tuxedo for me and Tom.”

Bendy’s eyes suddenly went wide. “I know where you can find a minister!”

Tom blinked and looked at Allison, before turning his gaze back to Bendy. “Where, Bendy?”

“Norman! He’s an ordained minister! He told me so when I was talking to him one day.” He seemed very excited and hopped up and down a bit. “He can officiate you guys!”

Allison smiled and glanced at her platonic husband. “Well, looks like we can cross that off the list. Bendy, do you have any idea where we can get outfits for our wedding?”

The dancing demon thought, before snapping his fingers. “Alice! She sews clothes all the time, so I bet she can make something for you guys.”

Another set of smiles came from the angel and wolf, and they gently patted Bendy’s shoulders. “Thanks, Bendy,” Tom spoke. “You’re a great little guy.”

*****

**_Several months later…_ **

*****

The Henry and Joey Studio’s biggest room was a bustle with voices as everyone talked. The walls had been beautifully decorated with flowers and ribbons. A large arch was at one end of the room, flowers and bells decorating it. Under the arch stood Norman, Tom, and Henry. Henry was the best man and patted Tom’s shoulder as he fixed the flower on his tux. “You look fine, buddy,” Henry assured him. “You know Allison won’t notice if something is a little off.”

“I know, I know,” Tom sighed out. “But I just want everything to be perfect. I want this day to be special for her. After all, we’ve talked about this for a while. Plus, she hasn’t seen me all day, so I want to look okay.”

“Tom, I think you’ll do fine. Besides, you guys did a good job planning out the wedding. I think everything will go fine.”

Music began to play through the air as Sammy took his seat at the organ and played. Everyone took their seats and the doors opened. In stepped Alice first, gently throwing petals from a small basket as she walked down the aisle. Next came Bendy, with a pillow with two rings in his arms. The two small toons made their way to the front and then came Allison.

She was in a beautiful white dress with layers to the skirt, a large ribbon tied around her waist with a large flower on it. Her horns had been cleaned to a shine and flowers decorated her hair in its usual ponytail. She held a bouquet of white and black roses as she slowly made her way to the arch.

Tom’s eyes widened a bit and he smiled. She looked beautiful and her smile made this all worth while.

Once Allison made her way to the front, she looked at Tom and smiled. “Hi.”

He chuckled. “Hey.”

As Norman began to speak, Allison’s yellow eyes gazed into those pie cut ones with content. This was a day she never thought would come, but it was happening in front of her. She couldn’t be happier. And she could tell Tom felt the same way.

“And now, your vows,” Norman said before turning to Allison.

She blushed a bit, before clearing her throat and speaking. “Tom… I never thought we would actually have a wedding. Hell, I never thought we’d get out of this studio. But now, everything is changing, everything is new and exciting. But through it all, you’ve stayed faithful to me. Ever since we came out of the Ink Machine, I’ve loved you and cared about you. I knew from the moment I saw you, we would do great things together. You’ve been through so much with me, and I hope we continue to have great adventures together. I love you, Tom, and nothing could change that.”

Tom smiled widely, a soft blush on his cheeks. “Allison Angel… I didn’t ever think, in my entire life, I could find someone as wonderful as you. You’ve been there for me ever since we took these forms and you’ve been by my side through all those years when the studio was taken over. Even now, with everything being peaceful again, you’ve remained with me. And I’m very grateful for that. I would be more than honored to be with you for the rest of my life. I love you, Allison.”

Norman smiled and looked to Bendy. “Bendy, the rings, please.”

Bendy stepped forward and let the bride and groom take the rings, placing them on each other’s fingers. Once that was done, Norman looked to Allison. “Allison Angel, do you take Tom as your husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

Allison nodded. “I do.”

“And Tom, do you take Allison Angel as your wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

Tom nodded. “Hell yeah.”

“Then by the authority vested in me by the State of Colorado, I now pronounce you Angel and Wolf! You may kiss the bride!”

The two pulled each other into a loving embrace as their lips met and everyone in the room clapped and cheered.

The bride and groom turned to Henry. “Henry, we want to thank you,” Allison declared.

“For what?”

“For bringing us to your home. Without you, we would have never learned so much about the outside world and… we feel like… we’re truly free now. Thank you, Henry.”

And so the day continued on, the reception a success and everyone dancing the night away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story and thank you to everyone who gave kudos and comments on this story! I hope you enjoyed this one and feel free to leave comments and kudos!


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